The internet has the potential to make a company millions. Billions even. Everyday when we open up our phones or computers, companies are pushing their products through our time line. They collect data from your internet and social media use and determine which of their products you are most likely to buy. The things you click on are the things that you are interested in. You wouldn't ever click on something that you didn't really want to see. You wouldn't follow an account if you didn't want to see their content. Today, the buying and selling of products online, or E-Commerce, is an effective strategy for a variety of businesses. The Brick and Mortar strategy of the past is slowly fading. Sure, in-store purchases will never fade away because people like to hold the products in their hand before they buy them, but isn't it just so convenient to purchase things online?
Companies advertise their products in a variety of ways. There are TV commercials, YouTube ads, and company social media accounts. These are all great and every effective, but consumers want to see that the products that they purchase actually add value to their lives. If you ask a company "Will your product add value to my life?" it is extremely likely that they will say yes. That is their goal: sell you their product. So how do you begin trusting a company enough to purchase their products?
Online Influencers are one of the most secure investments a company can make. Lets take an example from my own social media feed. Kevin Hart is arguably one of the greatest comedians to ever walk on stage. He has had his ups and downs just like every other celebrity, but overall, he is an extremely likable person, has an amazing sense of humor, and cares about his and his families health and well-being. One of the things that Kevin does on a daily basis is work out. If you visit @kevinhart4real on Instagram, you will see the comedian with his family, one stage, in photoshoots, and in the gym. Kevin Hart also has an extremely widespread audience. On Instagram he has 108 million followers. Those are 108 million potential customers for companies looking to sell their products. So what does the company do with all of this information?
A company will look for an influencer who has a significant following on social media AND posts content that is related to how they live their life. When choosing a social media influencer, a company has to make sure the person they are choosing will actually like their product. If a sportswear company were to pick a person who had 100 million followers but they did not work out, why would their viewers buy their products? Also, a significant number of those followers might not even work out, so why would they want to buy sportswear. A company called Fabletics avoided this issue and picked the right influencer for their sportswear products: Kevin Hart. At least three times a week I see Kevin Hart pop up on my Instagram feed shouting at me how comfortable and affordable his Fabletic workout shorts are. He says that once he purchased these shorts, he had no desire to ever go back to Nike shorts. The key to choosing the perfect online influencer is that the relationship benefits both parties indefinitely.
In this example, Fabletics receives an influencer who has an enormous following, likes and uses their products, and a positive attitude that attracts people. Kevin Hart receives payment to advertise the product, he gets free clothing, recognition, and can continue to live his life how he wants to live it. A majority of companies will use online influencers as part of their business strategy. The leading reason that they do this is to increase brand recognition. Other main reasons are to reach new audiences and generate sales. The chart below highlights the overarching goal of using online influencers.
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